US Department of Education reverses itself on special education spendingNCLD Share The U.S. Department of Education issued a rare reversal on rules related to how much spending local school districts have to maintain on special education from year to year which means that the harmful loophole created last summer — that could have allowed millions of dollars to be withdrawn from special education services — is now closed.More

Strategies to support a child with dyscalculia in the classroomKnoji Knowledge Network Share When a teacher discovers that they have a student with dyscalculia, they are often unsure about what the condition is, what difficulties the student will face and what strategies and methods they can use in the classroom to support the learning of their student. Here is an overview of what dyscalculia is, what difficulties a student may face and what strategies can be put into place to support their education.More

Autism linked to industrial food or environmentMedical News Today Share A new study in Clinical Epigenetics, suggests that the epidemic of autism amongst children in the U.S. may be associated with the typical American diet. The study by Renee Dufault and his team explores how mineral deficiencies, affected by dietary factors, such as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), could have a potential impact on how the human body frees itself of common toxic chemicals, for instance, pesticides and mercury. More

Where Students with Learning Differences ExcelSummit View School offers comprehensive elementary, middle, and secondary school programs for students with learning differences. An innovative and integrated curriculum, coupled with small class size and high teacher to student ratio, enables students to experience academic success. Upon graduation, 97% of our students attend college including UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, and other reputable colleges. MORE

Experts urge continued study of dyslexiaMedscape (free registration required) Share Research on dyslexia has enhanced scientific understanding and has improved medical treatments for this neurodevelopmental disorder over the past few years, but many questions remain, which, when answered, will improve the lives of children who struggle to learn to read, according to a Seminar published online April 17 in the Lancet.More

The intersection of race and students with disabilitiesEducation Week's On Special Education Blog Share Elizabeth Harry, special education professor at the University of Miami, tells of Jacintha, mother of nine children, with different fathers, living in a destitute area of Miami. Jacintha is black. Harry describes the difficulties in securing a diagnosis and services for one of Jacintha's children who is struggling in school.More

Do IQ tests wrongly label some with autism as intellectually disabled?Education Week's On Special Education Blog Share If a child has autism and doesn't respond to verbal cues, how can an IQ test in which they are asked questions be a real measure of their intelligence?
At the Council for Exceptional Children's annual convention, a pair of researchers from universities in Florida shared those and other concerns about using some types of IQ tests with children with autism, tests that may wrongly find these children have intellectual disabilities.More

New to the US market, the Medialexie Scribe 2012, is an innovative assistive technology that supports students in all areas of Learning.
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Teach, assess and engage students in the mastery of English language grammar and syntax patterns, including all verb forms. There is no limit to the number of sentences that can be created! Fun instructional games accompany every lesson to make learning fun.

Special education students a focus in new film "Bully"Education Week's On Special Education Blog Share Two students with Asperger syndrome — an autism spectrum disorder that can make it tough to interact in social situations — are featured heavily in "Bully," the new education shock-you-mentary.
The film opens with the grieving parents of Tyler Long, a 17-year-old with Asperger's syndrome who committed suicide. And it closely follows Alex Libby, another student with Asperger's who was repeatedly harassed by his fellow students at a Sioux City, Iowa, middle school.More

Girls may have built-in autism defensesDisability Scoop Share Autism is nearly five times more common in boys than girls. Now, new research suggests that gender differences could be key to understanding how to treat the disorder.
An international team of scientists analyzing the genetic makeup of more than 1,600 people with autism has identified a gene known as SHANK1 that when mutated, may be responsible for triggering some cases of autism.More

3D Learner ProgramWe now offer Reading Plus® to further improve reading speed and comprehension. We also leverage both Recording For the Blind and Dyslexic and Talking Books. MORE

Suspensions more common for minority, disabled studentsCalifornia Watch Share Racial minorities and students with disabilities are suspended at substantially higher rates than their white and non-disabled peers, according to an analysis of discipline data from nearly 500 California school districts. Researchers said the disparities are a civil rights issue and cause for alarm. While 7.1 percent of all California students were suspended from school at least once during the 2009-2010 school year, the rate was as high as 18 percent among blacks, 11 percent among American Indians and 13.4 percent for students with disabilities. More

Children with autism: Nothing for grantedCNN Share Watching a child take his first steps is one of the biggest milestones for a parent.
Lindsay Williamson says the moment she heard her son, Reed, call his father "Daddy" instead of "juice box" was just as amazing.
He was a month shy of his third birthday, and the family had spent months in autism evaluations that Reed wouldn't participate in.More

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